Other opinions: Hurting low-income people to make a political point

If the Michigan Republicans standing in the way of Medicaid expansion are feeling lonely these days, they have some allies in other state legislatures.

Judging by editorials in those states, though, those lawmakers might appreciate the support. Excerpts from newspapers in Pennsylvania, Utah and Maine:

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Republicans in Harrisburg are stringing along the poorest working people of Pennsylvania.

For months, Gov. Tom Corbett refused to consider an expansion of eligibility for Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act. For a long time, he insisted that he needed more information from federal regulators. After meetings in Washington, he said he'd need to see programmatic changes before he could approve any expansion.

The prospects appeared to improve considerably on Sunday, when the state Senate voted 40-10 for a bill that would have required the state to apply by Oct. 1 to broaden eligibility requirements while calling for job-search requirements and some modifications of the program's benefits. There even were hints that Mr. Corbett might sign that version if it reached his desk.

But the next day, House Republicans shot down the measure on a 108-94 vote with only two Republicans in favor, Gene DiGirolamo of Bucks County and John Taylor of Philadelphia. House Majority Leader Mike Turzai of Bradford Woods said it was rejected in part to give Mr. Corbett room to negotiate with the Obama administration.

Salt Lake Tribune

Utah is among the states still riding the fence on the question of whether it should expand the existing Medicaid system that has long provided some measure of health insurance to the poor. It should accept the offer.

By raising the income limits for Medicaid eligibility and opening enrollment to single adults without children, that part of the Affordable Care Act was to extend coverage to maybe half of the 30 million Americans who, unconscionably, now go without. But so many states have stepped through the Supreme Court's loophole and rejected the expansion of Medicaid for their low-income residents that, according to a recent analysis by the Associated Press, nigh onto 10 million of the 15 million Americans who should have been rescued from the status of uninsured will not be reached.

As more and more states - with a Republican governor, Republican-controlled legislature, or both - reject expanded Medicaid, it becomes more and more apparent that they are doing so for just the reason outlined recently by New York Times columnist and Nobel laureate economist Paul Krugman says they are: Pure spite.

- Read more: http://fe.gd/BtG

Bangor (Main) Daily News

Once again, Maine Republican lawmakers have shown they will withhold health care coverage from this state's poorest residents to spite federal health reform. The arguments that members of the Maine House made Wednesday in opposition to Medicaid expansion were appalling.

It won't matter that 97 representatives voted to support a Medicaid expansion compromise measure on Wednesday, while 51 were opposed. The House needs four more votes to override an anticipated veto from Gov. Paul LePage. Apparently just enough members are listening to the ill-informed rhetoric of their House colleagues.

The Affordable Care Act will bring coverage to low- and moderate-income individuals and families whether Maine votes to expand or not. Medicaid expansion is for those near and below the poverty line. It makes no sense to tell those individuals that people who earn more than they do should get help to pay for insurance, but they, because they are the poorest, are on their own. It's becoming embarrassing for lawmakers to continue to oppose expansion.

- Read more: http://fe.gd/BtL

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Other opinions: Hurting low-income people to make a political point

If the Michigan Republicans standing in the way of Medicaid expansion are feeling lonely these days, they have some allies in other state legislatures.